American History X Thesis

American History X is an acclaimed film starring Edward Norton who is a skin-head named Derek, whose life and morals change one fateful night. The co-star is Derek’s younger brother, Danny played by Edward Furlong. Danny spends his days idolizing his older brother’s leadership role in their skin-head clan. Derek’s whole life changes one night when he catches two African-Americans trying to break into his car. Instead of calling the police he chases one young man off with a gun while shooting his truck and brutally murders the other one who is begging for his life. The shootings lead Derek to prison. In prison Derek experiences some events that leave him questioning his beliefs. American History X is a appreciable film that is successful because

Edward Norton has a wide variety of emotions throughout the movie and plays every single one ideally. Derek’s rage is felt whenever he speaks and his eyes show how furious he is with the world. The viewers get to experience Edward Nor-ton play three completely different roles all in one character. At the beginning of the film Derek’s character is taken over by fury and rage due to his fathers killing. This is when the viewers experience his character commit all of those despicable acts on innocent people. His character is confident in who he is, even more confident in his beliefs, and will not listen to what anyone has to say about him. While in prison the viewers watch Derek’s character become lost. Everything he had once practiced and lived his life by was a complete lie. While in prison Derek becomes affiliated with an Aryan Brotherhood. The more time Derek spends with them the more he sees that the that the brotherhood is not as true to his skinhead way of thinking as he’d want them to be. Being the confident leader Derek was he confronts the gang and stops affiliating with them. The next day Derek is attacked and raped in the

As the movie goes on, viewers experience Derek and Lamont develop a real, sincere friendship. This is when Derek’s character starts evolving from lost into the redemption stage. Derek starts to grow his hair out and shows how he is regretful of everything he had once done. This all came in time when he was getting released from prison. When he gets out of prison his number one goal is to stop his brother from going down the same path he went down. The movie was also successful because of its cinematography. Cinematography is the art of making motion pictures, slow motion effects, and flashbacks are some examples that were found in American History X. The films cinematographer was Tony Kaye. Kaye uses slow motion effects multiple times throughout the film. The first time it is used is at the beginning of the film when Derek is is woken up by the two African-Americans trying to break into his car. When Derek shoots the two young men and walks up to them and kicks them in the face are all in slow motion. As well as Danny’s reaction to the shootings. The slow motion helps the viewer captivate just how much effect Derek’s actions are having on his younger brother. The look of